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For decades, researchers have published findings in mit sloan management review about developing and executing strategy. this collection offers a dozen of our most popular strategy articles of all time..

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“Strategy, at its heart, is about choice,” write the authors of “Turning Strategy Into Results,” an article featured below, which takes a keen look at how leaders translate the complexity of strategy into guidelines that are simple and flexible enough to execute.

A winning strategy for an organization is not based on an individual choice but an expansive, countless number of decisions happening every day across all parts of a business — product, customers, technology capabilities, and more.

In this collection of a dozen of the most popular MIT Sloan Management Review articles on strategy, renowned researchers and academic voices examine the critical choices managers make in companies every day. From insights on goal setting and communicating strategic priorities effectively, to testing and scaling new business models, these articles will help leaders sharpen their strategic thinking to face new challenges.

1. With Goals, FAST Beats SMART

Donald sull and charles sull.

The conventional wisdom of goal setting is so deeply ingrained that managers rarely stop to ask if it works. The traditional approach to goals — the annual cycle, privately set and reviewed goals, and a strong linkage to incentives — can actually undermine the alignment, coordination, and agility that’s needed for a company to execute its strategy .

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2. A Structured Approach to Strategic Decisions

Daniel kahneman, dan lovallo, and olivier sibony.

Reducing errors in judgment requires a disciplined process. The authors provide leaders with a framework that is easy to learn, involves little additional work, and (within limits) leaves room for the leaders’ intuition .

3. The Shareholders vs. Stakeholders Debate

H. jeff smith.

An age-old question has never been more relevant than it is today: Should companies seek only to maximize shareholder value or strive to serve the often-conflicting interests of all stakeholders ?

4. Turning Strategy Into Results

Donald sull, stefano turconi, charles sull, and james yoder.

Businesses develop strategies to address complex, multilayered business environments and challenges — but to execute a strategy in a meaningful way, they must produce a set of specific priorities focused on achieving clear goals. Rather than trying to boil the strategy down to a pithy statement, it’s better to develop a small set of priorities that everyone gets behind to produce results .

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Ally MacDonald ( @allymacdonald ) is senior editor at MIT Sloan Management Review .

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A strategic management process: the role of decision-making style and organisational performance

Journal of Work-Applied Management

ISSN : 2205-2062

Article publication date: 16 February 2023

Issue publication date: 24 April 2023

The purpose of this paper is to present a conceptual framework for integrating strategic thinking factors, organisational performance and the decision-making process.

Design/methodology/approach

The methodology involves a synthesis of literature and proposes a framework that explores the relationship between strategic thinking enabling factors, organisational performance and the moderating effect of decision-making styles.

The framework includes strategic thinking enabling factors (systems perspective, focused intent, intelligent opportunism, thinking in time and hypothesis-driven analysis), organisational performance and the moderating effect of decision-making styles (intuitive and rational).

Research limitations/implications

This research results in a conceptual model only; it remains to be tested in actual practice. The expanded conceptual framework can serve as a basis for future empirical research and provide insights to practitioners into how to strengthen policy development in a strategic planning process.

Originality/value

A paradigm shift in the literature proves that strategic management and decision-making styles are vital in determining organisational performance. This paper highlights the importance of decision-making styles and develops a framework for strategic management by analysing the existing strategic management literature.

  • Strategic management
  • Intuitive decision-making
  • Rational decision-making
  • Strategic thinking process
  • Organisational performance

Sinnaiah, T. , Adam, S. and Mahadi, B. (2023), "A strategic management process: the role of decision-making style and organisational performance", Journal of Work-Applied Management , Vol. 15 No. 1, pp. 37-50. https://doi.org/10.1108/JWAM-10-2022-0074

Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2023, Tamilarasu Sinnaiah, Sabrinah Adam and Batiah Mahadi

Published in Journal of Work-Applied Management . Published by Emerald Publishing Limited. This article is published under the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY 4.0) licence. Anyone may reproduce, distribute, translate and create derivative works of this article (for both commercial and non-commercial purposes), subject to full attribution to the original publication and authors. The full terms of this licence may be seen at http://creativecommons.org/licences/by/4.0/legalcode

1. Introduction

Managers are appointed to achieve the organisation's objectives and goals. As these objectives gradually increase with competition, managers must become strategic thinkers with excellent decision-making skills. The strategy towards the organisational outcome highlighted in this section has been widely debated among academic scholars and practitioners. Organisational strategies are essential in sustaining an organisation's competitive advantage to face a complex and uncertain future.

Effective strategic management frameworks enable managers to focus on the complex issues that must be prioritised to hasten decision-making processes ( Dlamini et al. , 2020 ). Whilst enabling managers important to make the decisions needed to direct the organisational effort towards overcoming specific issues ( Wang et al. , 2021 ). The organisation's effectiveness in addressing critical issues with solutions that best fit the current environmental factors will ensure the vitality and image of the organisation. Strategic management is pertinent to manage the organisation in a continuous, systematic manner.

The first segment of strategic management is the effective action programs chosen to reach these goals and objectives.

The second segment is the resource allocation pattern that relates the organisation to its environment.

Moreover, strategic management is defined as translating the thinking process into an action plan that benefits the organisation to sustain its competitive advantages. Strategy also can be categorised as strategic thinking and strategic planning. Strategy is also the commitment of the top-level management to attaining outcomes aligned with the organisation's strategic objectives. Strategy can be realised when there is consistent outcomes or patterns over the years. Therefore, strategy is planning for the future or determining patterns based on consistent outcomes. Organisations must develop plans and also evolve patterns derived from previous organisational outcomes. These phases can be explained as intended strategy and realised strategy.

The effectiveness of the strategies employed can indicate the organisation's performance in achieving its objectives and goals. Organisations need to measure the outcome of the strategies employed by having measurable objectives that will enhance the employees' commitment towards achieving the goals. Conversely, organisational learning and financial measures such as organisational profitability can also benchmark organisational performance. The responsiveness of organisational performance has a direct relationship and is influenced by management efforts to emphasise leadership within the organisational structure. This is done by observing the support and strategies utilised by managers to achieve the objectives and goals. This paper aims to enhance an understanding of strategic management processes involving decision-making styles towards organisational performance. First, this paper highlights strategic management's operational and theoretical approach towards organisational performance. Moreover, this study enhances the result of previous literature on strategic enablers by explaining the effort involving decision-making to strengthen the organisational structure, particularly the decision-making styles (intuitive and rational), that moderates the relationship between the strategic thinking process and organisational performances ( Ritter, 2014 ).

Academic scholars and practitioners have highlighted the importance of strategic management in measuring organisational performance in terms of innovation, entrepreneurship, technology, knowledge, economics, healthcare and organisational performance ( Adam et al ., 2018 , 2020 ; Alosani et al. , 2020 ). Conversely, there is a knowledge gap on the effective judgement practices of strategic management enablers and organisational performance during decision-making ( Abuhjeeleh et al ., 2018 ; Acciarini et al. , 2021 ; Elrehail et al ., 2020 ; Nguyen, 2020 ). This paper analyses the relationship between strategic management and organisational performance and suggests a framework to elucidate the relationship variables such as moderators, rational and intuitive decision-making styles.

2. Literature review

Strategic management is applying strategic decisions towards the organisational vision to achieve strategic competitiveness and sustain competitive advantages ( Alosani et al. , 2020 ; Rodrigues and Franco, 2019 ). Strategic management is a cognitive impairment of structuring the internal capabilities to fulfil external demands and involves plans, patterns, positions, perspectives and plots ( Mintzberg et al ., 2020 ). Strategic management is the managerial discourse involving a framework of the decision-making process, which highlights how the strategy process is formulated in organisations, acknowledging the cognitive management structure of the organisations. Additionally, the organisation's members need to respond effectually to the decisions made by the management and cooperate to ensure that the organisational vision is reached, given that this will affect the organisational adaptability, legitimacy and performance ( Johnsen, 2015 ). Organisations must be aware of the uncertain environments that can influence their welfare.

Consequently, the strategic management process can be reflected in two directions: strategic planning and strategic thinking. Strategic planning emphasises formulating strategies or disciplined efforts to produce strategic decisions to achieve the organisation's objectives ( Bryson, 2018 ). Strategic planning also can be reflected as a system that enhances the decision-making process among the members of an organisation. The strategic management process needs to be fulfilling for the organisation to sustain its competitive advantages. Moreover, strategic thinking is creative, disruptive, future-focused and experimental and often contradicts traditional notions of strategic planning ( Liedtka, 2000 ). Strategic planning is the principal element of the strategic management process involving resource management, implementation, control and evaluation of strategies ( Poister et al ., 2010 ). Strategic planning focuses on formalising existing strategies and employing creativity to enhance perspectives ( Mintzberg et al ., 2020 ). The uncertainties of environments and conflicting perspectives can be evaluated and addressed using strategic thinking as a part of the organisational decision-making process ( Chin et al ., 2018 ). Studies by Goldman et al . (2015) indicated that organisational members are not actively involved during the strategic decision-making process, leading to the decline in the organisation's performance.

The importance of the strategic decision-making process towards organisational performance was emphasised by Steptoe‐Warren et al. (2011) . The research suggested that evaluating, identifying and validating the process will enhance the strategic thinking process to positively impact performance ( Norzailan et al ., 2016 ). Moreover, strategic thinking plays a vital role in analysing the external factors influencing the process. If the organisational members take it lightly, it will lead to perception deficiencies ( Kızıloglu and Serinkan, 2015 ). Additionally, the study highlighted that strategic planning occurs after strategic thinking ( Alatailat et al ., 2019 ; Bonn, 2001 ; Mintzberg, 1994 ). Consequently, this study will focus on strategic thinking as the fundamental phase in the strategic management process.

A conceptual framework that highlights the management principles among the business process in delivering effective solutions for problems is shown in Figure 1 .

3. Strategic management

Strategic management is defined as a framework for achieving success, and it is pivotal for organisations to achieve their objectives and continuously perform better ( Elliott et al ., 2020 ). Additionally, strategic management is a continuous process of looking for a better action plan to ensure the organisation's competitiveness.

3.1 Strategic thinking

The most challenging issue an organisation faces is awareness of the strategic vision and missions, available resources and identifying opportunities for growth within the organisation ( Bryson, 2018 ). Therefore, strategic thinking is a vital element in the chain of processes, which must be carried out effectively and systematically ( Sahay, 2019 ). Nevertheless, organisations need to be aware that strategic thinking can fail miserly if the decision-makers do not realise the strategic enablers or the factors responsible for the effective strategic thinking process. Strategic enablers influence the thoughts and decision process of the organisational members ( Goldman et al ., 2015 ). Therefore, strategic enablers will lead the organisation's members towards idea growth and personal development, while strategic thinkers expedite the organisational performances ( Alatailat et al ., 2019 ).

Individuals involved in the organisational structure utilise their experiences and thought processes in managing conflicts to enhance strategic thinking ( Alaarj et al ., 2016 ). Strategy managers or thinkers recognise the relationship between business responsibilities and departments and organisations and their business stakeholders ( Cabral et al. , 2019 ). This relationship is known as “system thinking”, where an organisation explores the structure reflected in the action and environment that causes the incident. Additionally, the direction or the organisational destiny is a type of strategic intent utilised to help achieve the business objectives. This occurs when all the employees can concentrate on their purpose until it is achievable.

Strategic intent is pertinent in increasing competitive advantages and improving organisational performance ( Chen et al ., 2015 ). Intelligent firms must be considered before becoming competitive to ensure the organisation can create intelligent opportunities to lead the business emerging strategies towards their vision ( Alaarj et al ., 2016 ). Conversely, the organisation should integrate previous events with the current situation to achieve and align with the organisation's objectives. This is vital for organisations to connect to the past and present environment to envision the firms and prepare for any internal or external challenges in their business ( Abubakar et al ., 2019 ). A hypothesis-driven analysis is the core element in the strategic thinking process to gather relevant information regarding the business. Therefore, the challenges faced must be transformed into a hypothesis-driven analysis to understand better the measures needed to be taken by the stakeholders to improve the organisational performances.

3.2 Decision-making style

The role of managers within an organisation must be elucidated to help enhance the decision-making process to create competitive advantages for the organisation ( Dionisio, 2017 ). Moreover, Porter (1990) emphasised the differences between competitive strategy and competitors. Decision-making styles also play a vital role in formalising the strategic decision procedure and can be defined as a habitual or formal response pattern taken by managers when there is an incident ( Kulcsár et al ., 2020 ). According to Acciarini et al. (2021) , decision-making styles are directly related to cognitive styles involved in the strategic thinking process. Decision-making style, which can be both at individual and team levels, can be classified into intuition and rationality ( Dayan and Di Benedetto, 2011 ; Dayan and Elbanna, 2011 ; Giermindl et al ., 2022 ; Luan et al ., 2019 ; Sukhov et al ., 2021 ). Therefore, the author highlighted that cognitive styles could be divided into two different categories: “feeling as information evaluators”, where managers actively gather information intuitively, and “thinking as information evaluators”, where managers systematically collect information ( Behling et al ., 1980 ). Alternatively, decision-making styles can be considered intuitive and rational information gathering and evaluating styles ( Calabretta et al ., 2017 ).

The intuitive decision-making style can be defined as the episodes of uncertainty patterns of action imposed by managers or the decision-makers based on the current situation. In addition, intuitive decision-makers must be aware of current issues and relate the relationship between cognitive schemes with holistic thinking to resolve problems ( Calabretta et al ., 2017 ). It is also believed that the intuitive decision-making process can be influenced by a sudden awareness of information ( Zhu et al ., 2017 ). Decision-makers can determine solutions without fully understanding or realising the extent of information available. Studies agree that the intuitive decision-making process can occur when unsorted information is restructured into an organised pattern of action that transforms into a conscious solution ( Zander et al ., 2016 ). Furthermore, the intuition organisations performance is enhanced when decision-makers utilise the intuition decision-making style when there is no access or relevant analytical data to support them in making strategic decisions that align with the organisation's objectives ( Temprano-García et al ., 2018 ). Conversely, intuition decision-making also contributes positively to the organisations performance when the issues are resolved quickly despite limited resources or knowledge on the current issues.

Studies by Sauter (1999) emphasised that intuition decision-making or illumination is a sudden awareness of information where the decision-makers are unaware of fundamental facts or information. The author also highlighted several ways to establish the intuitive decision-making process. First, detection is an intuition where decision-makers think of several different situations rather than focusing on the current issue ( Kolbe et al. , 2020 ). Working on current strategic issues will enable managers to comprehend related information to help solve the issue by connecting facts or elements that previously did not relate to each other ( Temprano-García et al ., 2018 ). Another form of intuition is evaluation, where the solution appears as an available option creating a sense of certainty or vague feelings towards the analytical data ( Hodgetts et al ., 2017 ).

Conversely, the intuition decision-making process can also be hypothesised as an explicit and implicit decision-making style ( Tabesh and Vera, 2020 ), where explicit decision utilises feelings or emotion and implicit decisions refer to the experience of the relevant situation ( Bhat  et al ., 2021 ; Remmers et al ., 2016 ). Moreover, intuitive decision-making styles also utilise the subconscious processing of verbalised and nonverbalised facts or information ( Tabesh and Vera, 2020 ). A recent study suggests that intuitive decision-making aided managers in enhancing the strategic decision towards the organisation's performance ( Francioni and Clark, 2020 ).

Rational decision-making involves several solutions that will be analysed based on the issues and the relevance of this information towards the current problem before implementing the final decision ( Temprano-García et al ., 2018 ). The structured information consisting of conscious thinking must be evaluated critically ( Acciarini et al. , 2021 ). In addition, the rational decision-making process will enhance the effectiveness of the decision by structuring the decision criteria by highlighting and evaluating the alternatives individually ( Fitzgerald et al ., 2017 ). The decision-makers or the managers who utilise rational decision-making styles are more likely to be vigilant and organised about available information during decision-making ( Zhu et al ., 2021 ).

3.3 Organisational performance

For five decades, organisational performance has been widely researched by academic scholars and business practitioners ( Adam et al ., 2018 ). Organisational performance has been analysed in terms of normative and descriptive explanations in strategic planning research for continuous improvement in managing organisational performance ( Buddika et al ., 2016 ). Organisational performance can be explained by describing how things happen without judging good or bad. Alternatively, the organisational performance also can be elucidated by an evaluation in terms of performance against a benchmarked alternative or standard or by a descriptive statement explaining how the situation occurs without judgement ( Camilleri, 2021 ). Even though most research is done on the continuous improvements of organisational performance, practitioners still have many arguments and discussions on the terminology and conceptual bases to determine organisational performance ( Sarraf and Nejad, 2020 ).

Organisational performance can be reflected based on the results of the organisation's common objectives, given that the methods implemented are coherently used. Consequently, the performance processes' flow or the input resources can be critically analysed ( Tsai et al ., 2020 ). The effectiveness of organisational performance is influenced by the process implemented and can be measured by the achievements. Furthermore, organisational performance is defined as analysing the series of improvements to achieve organisational objectives. Generally, various factors can be associated with organisational performance, such as organisational structures, conflict, cross-cultural and social influences ( Sinnaiah et al. , 2023 ).

Performance measurement is a systematic series to identify the effectiveness and efficiency of people's behaviour to perform to their utmost abilities. Adam et al . (2018) described performance measurement as a unit, department or business process. Therefore, it is conceptualised that there is a structural relationship between organisational performance and performance measurement. Moreover, performance measurement requires substantive and relevant restructuring of input resources and processes to be aligned with the current system to increase productivity level or performance. Failure to analyse the performance measures will weaken the organisational strength and drain the organisation's efforts ( Alosani et al. , 2020 ). Thus, strategic thinking can be a highly effective performance measure for organisations.

4. Propositions

4.1 strategic thinking process and performance.

Strategic thinking is a structured assessment of analysing and synthesising information, intensively assessing the current situation and initiating new ideas or best available options to achieve strategic objectives ( Dhir and Dhir, 2020 ). An organisation's success depends on strategic thinking as it will enhance a decision-maker's skills, abilities and knowledge and help sustain competitiveness in uncertain environments ( Dhir et al ., 2021 ). Consequently, the process of strategic thinking is crucial for any organisation to successfully achieve and survive in the market for a more extended period. Decision-makers need to be effective and cognisant of the business opportunities that arise from innovating new ideas to enhance the strategic portfolio of organisations ( Bryson et al ., 2018 ).

Strategic thinking process will positively influence organisational performance.

4.2 Rational decision-making style, strategic thinking process and performance

In evaluating an organisation's performance and the uncertainties of the environment that influences the complexities in achieving positive growth for the organisation successfully, managers must have decision-making skills that utilise strategic thinking processes. Moreover, managers must be responsible for making fast and effective solutions by analysing, evaluating and prioritising available information to overcome strategic issues and obtain positive results ( Acciarini et al. , 2021 ). According to Calabretta et al . (2017) , there is a positive correlation between the strategic thinking process and decision-making style. Decision-making styles have the same structure as strategic thinking, which involves different levels, such as organisation or individuals.

Rational decision-making will moderate the relationship between the strategic thinking process and organisational performance.

4.3 Intuitive decision-making style, strategic thinking process and performance

Several studies highlight the roles of the strategic thinking process among managers within the boundaries of our cognitive capacities ( Kaufmann et al ., 2017 ) and postulate that mental flexibility can influence it ( Barlach and Plonski, 2021 ). Studies also emphasise that managers or decision-makers often utilise intuition during challenging situations, which is expected compared to the rational way of analysing the issues ( Kaufmann et al ., 2017 ). This intuition process can be a two-fold construct consisting of experience-based and emotionally affected situations. Additionally, this can involve a complex process of information affected by new cues towards previous experiences stored in their memory and transform it into subconscious action in the decision-making process ( Stanczyk et al ., 2015 ). Based on the study done by Simon (1976) , academic scholars and practitioners emphasised that managers are highly keen on inner feelings or gut feelings involving strategic decisions when faced with competitive issues ( Al-Jaifi and Al-Rassas, 2019 ; Bozhinov et al ., 2021 ; Palaniappan, 2017 ). The decision-making process utilising intuition uses available information, which might not have been available in the past, to quicken the process of decision-making. It is also important to realise that decision-making depends on the issues faced by the organisations, and not all issues require a rational decision-making style. For specific issues, managers might only need relevant information, deliberation and formal procedures to derive effective solutions for the organisation compared to instances where the managers are not bounded by any set of procedures or rules to solve the issue.

Therefore, strategic thinking is a process of synthesis, and based on intuitive decision-making style, where the outcome is an integrated perspective of the enterprise, managers can utilise intuition decision-making style to arrive at a solution with complete freedom and flexibility towards the organisational performance. The decision-makers attempt to be involved in the decision-making process while being aware of the current issues and having a sense of relationship among the cognitive schemas with the approach of holistic thinking to determine the solution to the problem ( Khemka and Hickson, 2021 ). It is clear that the intuitive decision-making process would include the issues faced by the organisation in analysing the issues and synthesis ( Zhu et al ., 2017 ) although all the processes occur under the sense of relationship or perception. It is also believed that the intuitive decision-making process could be influenced by the decision-makers upon the sudden awareness of information ( Peng et al ., 2020 ), whereby the decision-makers could propose a solution without the understanding or realisation of why the facts are present.

Intuitive decision-making will moderate the relationship between the strategic thinking process and organisational performance.

5. Discussion and conclusion

This paper reviews strategic management involving the strategic thinking process, organisational performance and decision-making styles with extant empirical work transforming into propositions, with the ultimate goal being to integrate the strategic management process into a systematised and approachable process that needs a fast response. Strategic management plays a vital role in aligning the standard repertoire of an organisation's strategic thinking. Moreover, managers must realise that strategic thinking has a unique process that depends on the situation. The thinking process should be aligned with the specific scenarios to ensure the best solution can be implemented. To sustain competitive advantage, managers should be effectively involved in the strategic thinking process to positively impact their organisations ( Bryson et al ., 2018 ).

The importance of strategic thinking enablers (systems perspective, focused intent, intelligent opportunism, thinking in time and hypothesis-driven analysis) was emphasised in the strategic thinking process and organisational performance. The systems perspective exposes the importance of organisations understanding the relationship between functions and departments internally and externally. Furthermore, organisations need to consider the functional, business and organisation strategies towards a highly competitive environment ( Buddika et al ., 2016 ). Consequently, these systems perspectives will help organisations manage interactions effectively across all departments to enhance productivity. Focus on intent will guide the organisations towards achieving strategic objectives and resisting eccentricity ( Bromiley and Rau, 2015 ). Focus intent will positively aid organisations to be more competitive in the long run as the managers realise the sense of discovery in managing strategic objectives. Therefore, it will improve the performance and consciously push the organisation towards innovation by eliminating limitations and becoming high achievers. Conversely, intelligent opportunism will enhance the strategic objectives by creating new opportunities to be more competitive although the strategies do not align with the current vision of the organisation. This is where intelligent opportunism will play an essential role at the managerial level of the organisation to effectively communicate and measure organisational performances ( Camilleri, 2021 ).

Emerging strategies will boost the organisation's motivation and productivity and should be carefully evaluated from time to time as the future of the organisations might be projected based on the past performance. Therefore, the importance of swift thinking permits the strategic managers to purposefully analyse the mission and vision of the organisation over time. The right action at the right time will help the organisations sustain competitively and save the organisations from self-destruction by limiting the positive changes made to help improve the organisation's performance ( Adam et al ., 2018 ).

Maintaining the balance between thinking creation and cognitive processing ( Calabretta et al ., 2017 ) and enhancing organisational performance (education, financial, creative, innovation, e-commerce and quality) is a challenge faced when creating effective management strategies ( Adam et al ., 2018 ; Al-Jaifi and Al-Rassas, 2019 ; Alharbi et al ., 2019 ; Arvis et al ., 2018 ). In addition, based on previous theoretical perspectives, most of the research scenarios will be based on the governance mechanisms of management and the policy development impacts on organisational performance ( Abubakar et al ., 2019 ). Therefore, based on extensive empirical and conceptual research, strategic thinking processes positively contribute to measuring organisational performance. Based on previous research, this study infers that cognitive development plays an effective role in the segregation of control between strategic thinking, which serves as a barrier to becoming more competitive and innovative in the long run ( Adam et al ., 2018 ). In addition, this happens among employees and directly impacts the quality of the organisational harmonies, such as mutual respect, trust and welfare of the employees. A cognitive processing environment is the use of intuition and rationality in decision-making with equal importance. The managers utilise intuition decision-making styles to resolve unrelated information received. During the strategic thinking process, the managers will receive unsorted information without processed knowledge which will be later organised into sorted knowledge using intuition styles ( Zander et al ., 2016 ). However, the rational decision-making style focuses more on the analytical procedure to conclude an issue the organisation faces. This helps the managers build confidence in the solution by eliminating uncertainty during decision-making ( Zhu et al ., 2021 ). Moreover, managers will only accept solutions with clear and less ambiguous information (rational) compared to managers utilising a more subconscious style (intuition) when formulating solutions. Consequently, there will be conflict in the decision-making process within the organisations.

According to Boamah et al. (2022) , the effectiveness of decision-making styles can differ according to the situation and the dependents. Alternatively, both decision-making styles were highlighted as an alternative way of generating a problem–solution approach within organisations ( Kolbe et al. , 2020 ; Stanczyk et al ., 2015 ). This study argues that both decision-making styles have equal importance in resolving problem–solution approaches and can be a harmonious process to achieve an effective performance measure. This argument is supported by Acciarini et al. (2021) , Tabesh and Vera (2020) . Therefore, this study concludes that both decision-making styles (rational and intuition) positively impact the strategic thinking process and organisational performance. Based on the framework in Figure 1 , the proposed framework highlights the missing sections of cognitive processing among businesses when delivering effective solutions for a complex problem. Organisations have only emphasised human capital and treated it as a scarce resource that will determine the organisation's performance. This study proposed that future strategic management researchers should explore the thinking process literature's core principles to investigate policy development further. Future research should transform these academic initiatives into empirical research by implementing this proposed model.

Conceptual framework

Competing interests: The authors reported no competing interests.

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Acknowledgements

The authors acknowledge the administration of Azman Hashim International Business School, Block T08, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Johor, for providing the facilities and the PhD Scholar room during this research.

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Embracing Gen AI at Work

  • H. James Wilson
  • Paul R. Daugherty

research articles strategic management

The skills you need to succeed in the era of large language models

Today artificial intelligence can be harnessed by nearly anyone, using commands in everyday language instead of code. Soon it will transform more than 40% of all work activity, according to the authors’ research. In this new era of collaboration between humans and machines, the ability to leverage AI effectively will be critical to your professional success.

This article describes the three kinds of “fusion skills” you need to get the best results from gen AI. Intelligent interrogation involves instructing large language models to perform in ways that generate better outcomes—by, say, breaking processes down into steps or visualizing multiple potential paths to a solution. Judgment integration is about incorporating expert and ethical human discernment to make AI’s output more trustworthy, reliable, and accurate. It entails augmenting a model’s training sources with authoritative knowledge bases when necessary, keeping biases out of prompts, ensuring the privacy of any data used by the models, and scrutinizing suspect output. With reciprocal apprenticing, you tailor gen AI to your company’s specific business context by including rich organizational data and know-how into the commands you give it. As you become better at doing that, you yourself learn how to train the AI to tackle more-sophisticated challenges.

The AI revolution is already here. Learning these three skills will prepare you to thrive in it.

Generative artificial intelligence is expected to radically transform all kinds of jobs over the next few years. No longer the exclusive purview of technologists, AI can now be put to work by nearly anyone, using commands in everyday language instead of code. According to our research, most business functions and more than 40% of all U.S. work activity can be augmented, automated, or reinvented with gen AI. The changes are expected to have the largest impact on the legal, banking, insurance, and capital-market sectors—followed by retail, travel, health, and energy.

  • H. James Wilson is the global managing director of technology research and thought leadership at Accenture Research. He is the coauthor, with Paul R. Daugherty, of Human + Machine: Reimagining Work in the Age of AI, New and Expanded Edition (HBR Press, 2024). hjameswilson
  • Paul R. Daugherty is Accenture’s chief technology and innovation officer. He is the coauthor, with H. James Wilson, of Human + Machine: Reimagining Work in the Age of AI, New and Expanded Edition (HBR Press, 2024). pauldaugh

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The Role of a Global MBA in International Consulting

The role of a global MBA in international consulting

Global consulting is increasingly being shaped by advances in data analytics, artificial intelligence, and agile methodologies. The sector demands professionals with the advanced skills and knowledge to navigate its complexities. In this evolving landscape , a Global MBA can equip aspiring consultants for significant career transitions by providing cutting-edge insights into international business trends and developing a 360-degree business perspective.

At EDHEC Business School, strategic insight and analytical skills are developed via a powerful mix of action learning, events such as the 2024 Hackathon , and real-world projects for clients. In addition, throughout the Global MBA programme participants have a unique opportunity to enhance their cultural awareness, preparing them to face the challenges ahead with the confidence and credibility they will need for success in the exciting yet competitive field of international consultancy.

The Evolution of Global Consulting

By expertly leveraging evolving technologies consultants can offer precise, data-driven insights and adaptive solutions to their clients. However, these trends also bring challenges, such as the constant need to update technical skills and the complexity of integrating new technologies into existing frameworks.

Rapid advances underscore the need for continuous learning and adaptation. To succeed as a consultant, you must not only stay abreast of the latest technological developments but also understand how to apply these innovations effectively across diverse industries and cultural contexts.

The ongoing education that a Global MBA can offer equips you with the agile mindset and data-driven insights they need to deliver results that clients and employers demand.

What Strategic Skills Do Top Consultants Offer Clients?

Strategic thinking, advanced analytical skills, and agile cross-cultural communication are prerequisites for success in global consultancy. Strategic thinking is the cornerstone of crafting long-term solutions for complex business challenges. Advanced analytical skills are crucial to interpret large data sets and turn raw information into actionable insights. However, the effectiveness of the first two often hinges on clear communication, and the ability to influence and lead in diverse cultural contexts comes into play.

By mastering these competencies, aspiring consultants equip themselves to offer tailored, high-value solutions that meet the needs of global clients. Combining hands-on learning, opportunities to work on real-world consultancy projects, and offering unrivalled opportunities to hone cross-cultural awareness, a Global MBA is one of the most effective ways to develop such advanced skills.

How a Global MBA enhances career opportunities in international consultancy

Executive education can offer a significant competitive edge in the job market by equipping you with the skills and mindset that demonstrate your value as a transformative leader, to clients and potential employers.

EDHEC’s Global MBA programme prepares you for a career in global consultancy via a meticulously designed curriculum. The six-month Business Fundamentals modules cover essential areas such as Strategy, Innovation & Management, Finance, Analytics & Risk, and Personal & Organisational Leadership, ensuring you can apply relevant frameworks and ask questions that lead to informed and confident decision-making.

To personalise your learning, you will follow a one-month specialisation track. The choice of International Finance, Global Leadership, Entrepreneurship, or Digital Innovation, will depend on your specific area of interest.

Additionally, the one-month electives phase allows you to choose from topics including Macroeconomics, Sales & Business Development, Data Visualisation, Strategic Foresight, and Agile Thinking, to further align your learning with your professional goals.

Throughout the programme the emphasis is on the practical application of the skills and insights, post-graduation. This is why the MBA Project   in the final two months, marks the culmination of your academic journey. It offers a hands-on opportunity to apply your understanding of the core concepts and specialised subjects in real-world scenarios.

The favoured option is for aspiring consultants to collaborate with a team on a project for industry clients. Working alongside peers with diverse backgrounds, you’ll address specific challenges faced by prominent organisations across sectors. This collaborative effort fosters innovation and prepares you for the career opportunities after an MBA specialised in international business.

Throughout the process, you’ll receive guidance and support from our renowned faculty, ensuring a rewarding experience that will transform your perspective and career prospects.

And to ensure you leverage career opportunities after an MBA specialised in international business, EDHEC's personal and career development programme, Lead 360 , ensures you'll be confident and ready to take the next step. Individual coaching sessions, personalised workshops, and career guidance from experts in consulting, entrepreneurship, finance, technology, or marketing all support your post-MBA career ambitions.

The effectiveness of Lead 360 is evident, with 92 of the most recent cohort employed within three months of graduation

Transform your career with EDHEC Business School’s Global MBA

Whether you are considering a transition into international consulting, or want to take your consulting career to new heights and reach your full potential, the triple-accredited and top-ranked EDHEC Global MBA is an intensive and highly personalised 10-month programme that provides you with the 360°business vision and agile skills needed to thrive as a consultant in a global context.

If you’re ready to transform your future, build an international business network, and develop your consultancy and leadership skills - it’s time to drive the change your career and our world need!

DISCOVER THE GLOBAL MBA PROGRAMME

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Lincoln Laboratory and National Strategic Research Institute launch student research program to tackle biothreats to national security

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Rachael Rosco and Brandon Sun face one another across a desk strewn with various tools and components

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The following announcement was released jointly by MIT Lincoln Laboratory and the National Strategic Research Institute.

MIT Lincoln Laboratory and the National Strategic Research Institute (NSRI) at the University of Nebraska (NU), a university-affiliated research center designated by the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), have established a joint student research program.

The goal is to bring together the scientific expertise, cutting-edge capabilities, and student capacity of NU and MIT for critical issues within global health and agricultural security, aiming to foster solutions to detect and neutralize emerging biological threats.

"We are excited to combine forces with NSRI to develop critical biotechnologies that will enhance national security," says Catherine Cabrera, who leads Lincoln Laboratory's Biological and Chemical Technologies Group. "This partnership underscores our shared commitment to safeguarding America through scientific leadership."

"In an era of rapidly evolving dangers, we must stay ahead of the curve through continuous innovation," says  David Roberts , the NSRI research director for special programs. "This partnership harnesses a unique combination of strengths from two leading academic institutions and two research institutes to create new paradigms in biological defense."

With funding from a DoD agency, the collaborators conducted a pilot of the program embedded within the MIT Engineering Systems Design and Development II course . The students’ challenge was to develop methods to rapidly screen for novel biosynthetic capabilities. Currently, such methods are limited by the lack of standardized, high-throughput devices that can support the culture of traditionally “uncultivable” microorganisms, which severely limits the cell diversity that could be probed for bioprospecting or biomanufacturing applications.

Led by  Todd Thorsen , a technical staff member in the  Biological and Chemical Technologies Group at Lincoln Laboratory, MIT students created the project, "Bioprospecting Experimentation Apparatus with Variable Environmental Regulation," which focused on developing simple high-throughput tools with integrated environmental control systems to expand the environmental testing envelope.

"This program, which emphasizes both engineering design and prototyping, challenges students to take what they learned in the classroom in their past undergraduate and graduate studies, and apply it to a real-world problem," Thorsen says. "For many students, the hands-on nature of this course is an exciting opportunity to test their abilities to prioritize what is important in developing products that are both functional and easy to use. What I found most impressive was the students’ ability to apply their collective knowledge to the design and prototyping of the biomedical devices, emphasizing their diverse backgrounds in areas like fluid mechanicals, controls, and solid mechanics."

In total, 12 mechanical engineering students contributed to the program, producing and validating a gas gradient manifold prototype and a droplet-dispensing manifold that has the potential to generate arbitrary pH gradients in industry-standard 96-well plates used for biomedical research. These devices will greatly simplify and accelerate the microculture of complex mixtures of organisms, like bacteria populations, where the growth conditions are unknown, allowing the end user to use the manifolds to dial in the optimal environmental parameters without the need for expensive, bulky hardware like the anaerobic chambers typically used for microbiology research.

"This class was my first experience with microfluidics and biotech, and thanks to our sponsors, I gained the confidence to pursue a career path in biotech," says Rachael Rosco, an MIT mechanical engineering graduate student. "The project itself was meaningful, and I know that our work will hopefully one day make an impact. Who knows, maybe one day it will lead to cultivating extremophile bacteria on a foreign planet!"

The collaboration will continue to seek DoD research funding to create workforce development opportunities for top scientific talent and introduce students to long-standing DoD challenges. Projects will take place nationwide at several NSRI, NU, Lincoln Laboratory, and MIT facilities.

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  • Education, teaching, academics
  • Mechanical engineering
  • Bioengineering and biotechnology
  • Security studies and military
  • Collaboration
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  • Synthetic biology
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More From Forbes

International market entry strategies for businesses.

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Salvador Ordorica is the CEO of The Spanish Group LLC , a first-class international translation service that translates over 90 languages.

In today's interconnected world, businesses are constantly seeking ways to broaden their horizons and enter new markets. Business leaders cannot deny the allure of international expansion, but they often encounter challenges and uncertainties on the path to success.

I’ve been running an international translation company that started operating in Irvine, California, and now we’ve entered into over 18 foreign countries. So, I will share what I’ve learned over the years, exploring the essential components of international market entry strategies, the pivotal role of cultural intelligence and some real-world case studies of companies that have triumphed on the international stage.

Market Entry Strategies

Before embarking on the journey of international expansion, businesses must first carefully assess their motivations and goals. Market entry is not a one-size-fits-all endeavor; rather, it demands a customized approach based on factors such as the industry, target market and available resources.

Are you looking to tap into new customer bases, reduce dependence on a single market or take advantage of cost-efficiency in other countries? Each objective requires a tailored market entry strategy.

1. Exporting

Exporting is a market entry strategy where a business sells its products or services to foreign customers. It typically involves shipping goods or delivering services across international borders, often through intermediaries or distributors. Exporting is a relatively low-risk option for entering international markets, as it allows companies to leverage their existing products or services without making significant investments in foreign operations.

2. Licensing And Franchising

Licensing allows businesses to grant foreign entities the right to use their intellectual property, such as trademarks or patents. Franchising involves replicating a successful business model in foreign markets. These options offer a quicker market entry but require careful management .

3. Joint Ventures And Partnerships

This strategy allows businesses to share the risks and costs associated with expanding into foreign markets. It's a mutually beneficial arrangement where both parties work together to achieve common goals while maintaining a degree of independence. However, successful execution requires careful negotiation, clear agreements and effective cooperation to navigate cultural differences and ensure the venture's success.

4. Acquisitions And Mergers

Market entry via acquisition or merger with foreign businesses offers speed and access to established customer bases and distribution networks. But it brings integration, cultural and stakeholder challenges. It's high-risk, high-reward, demanding thorough due diligence and post-acquisition management for international success.

5. Wholly-Owned Subsidiaries

This represents a market entry strategy where a company establishes complete ownership and control of its operations in a foreign market. In this approach, the business sets up a new entity or company in a foreign country, fully owned by the parent company. While this gives the parent company maximum autonomy and decision-making power, it also entails significant financial investment and higher risks. Wholly-owned subsidiaries are ideal when a business seeks tight control over operations, brand consistency and long-term market presence in the foreign market.

The Role Of Cultural Intelligence

In working with international markets, I've learned that one of the key challenges is navigating the cultural diversity of global markets.

Cultural intelligence , often referred to as cultural quotient (CQ), is the ability to understand and to be able to adapt to different cultural contexts effectively. In international business, cultural intelligence plays a pivotal role in the failure or success of market entry strategies.

• Understanding The Local Market

Cultural intelligence helps businesses understand the values, customs and preferences of the local population. Adapt services to resonate with locals to gain local market understanding, enhancing your success in market entry.

• Building Trust And Relationships

Establishing trust with local partners and customers is paramount. Hire local people to understand the culture of each place. This makes you prioritize cultural intelligence, respecting customs and etiquette, exemplified in successful partnerships worldwide.

• Effective Communication

Language barriers can be a significant hurdle in international business. Cultural intelligence involves effective communication strategies that transcend linguistic differences. To achieve this, prioritize cross-cultural training for your team, hire local experts and foster a culturally sensitive work environment.

• Adaptation And Innovation

Successful market entry often requires adapting products or services to meet local needs and preferences. Cultural intelligence implies innovation and adaptation in response to cultural insights.

To achieve a successful market entry through cultural intelligence as a company, I have focused on adapting services to local customs, languages and trends. Simultaneously, we encourage innovation in translation technology to maintain a competitive advantage across diverse markets.

Case Studies: Companies That Successfully Entered The International Market

Now, let's dive into some case studies, drawing inspiration from companies that have successfully entered international markets.

I think Apple's gradual but well-calculated entry into various international markets exemplifies "market entry success factors." Their localized approach to product launches and marketing is a masterclass in tailoring strategies to diverse audiences.

2. McDonald’s

We can see that McDonald's excels with franchising as a market entry strategy. Their ability to adapt their menu to local tastes while maintaining a consistent brand image is impressive.

3. Coca-Cola

Coca-Cola's global success underscores the significance of adapting to diverse drinking cultures. In the 1970s , the "I'd Like to Buy the World a Coke" campaign and the unforgettable jingle propelled international expansion. Coca-Cola maintained a consistent product while allowing room for cultural taste adjustments. Meticulous adaptation in advertising, promotions, distribution and pricing cemented its global triumph.

Today, international market entry is not just an option; it's a necessity for businesses seeking growth and sustainability. Expanding into international markets is a transformative experience that can propel a company to new heights. By leveraging the right strategies and a global mindset, businesses can unlock the door to global success and write their success stories in the international market.

Forbes Business Council is the foremost growth and networking organization for business owners and leaders. Do I qualify?

Salvador Ordorica

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research articles strategic management

  African Journal of Procurement, Logistics & Supply Chain Management Journal / African Journal of Procurement, Logistics & Supply Chain Management / Vol. 4 No. 2 (2021) / Articles (function() { function async_load(){ var s = document.createElement('script'); s.type = 'text/javascript'; s.async = true; var theUrl = 'https://www.journalquality.info/journalquality/ratings/2408-www-ajol-info-ajplscm'; s.src = theUrl + ( theUrl.indexOf("?") >= 0 ? "&" : "?") + 'ref=' + encodeURIComponent(window.location.href); var embedder = document.getElementById('jpps-embedder-ajol-ajplscm'); embedder.parentNode.insertBefore(s, embedder); } if (window.attachEvent) window.attachEvent('onload', async_load); else window.addEventListener('load', async_load, false); })();  

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The effect of supplier relationship management on the operational efficiency of an organization, lord emmanuel yamoah, isaac yornu, eric boafo dadzie.

This paper sought to examine the impact of supplier relationship management on organization's operational efficiency: A case study of on Seahorse oil company limited. The objective of the study was to examine the supplier relationship management practices at Seahorse oil company, to evaluate the effect of SRM on organizational efficiency at Seahorse oil company limited and also to determine the challenges of SRM on Operational efficiency at Seahorse oil company limited. The study design used for the study was descriptive and analytical sample survey. The researchers simple randomly selected 60 workers. The research instrument used for the study was interview with closed questions. Findings from the study revealed that, Seahorse oil company limited has a vendor relationship management policy and joint with vendors to resolve issues is established. In addition, suppliers are involved in key decisions regarding their operations, and a quality assurance system is in place for suppliers. Additionally, Seahorse oil company is also investing in its suppliers through the extension of financial assistance. Also, the study discovered that the supplier relationship had a positive impact on operational efficiency, as well as cooperation with suppliers which improved Seahorse’s competitive advantage in the market. In addition, a good relationship with suppliers improves flexibility and robustness for customers. Again, there is an improvement in the quality of purchases from suppliers, which leads to a reduction in risks and co-management costs. The study found that differences in organizational culture and vision affect the relationship. Also, a secret business organization is easily diffused through the provider relationship and lack of provider engagement affects the relationship and operational efficiency. Finally, distrust and lack of interest in the relationship affecting the operational efficiency of Seahorse oil company limited. The implication of this study for business practice is that, organizations as a whole have much to gain by practicing strategic supplier relationship management. Although SRM practices are not the only contributing factors to organizational performance, it is imperative that organizations examine existing SRM systems to identify weak points and correct them accordingly that positively influence their performance. 

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